Tim Tebow: A Promise Kept–a Review by J.D. Rempel

“Are you ready for some football?” is probably the NFL’s most famous question and is continually repeated throughout the season from late August to early February. On Sunday afternoons, Monday nights, and beginning this year Thursday nights, football fans watch and root for their favorite teams or fantasy football picks. Tim Tebow: A Promise Kept (an unauthorized biography) by Mike Klis gives the reader a glimpse into one of football’s inspirational players. This book follows the play-by-play action of some of Tebow’s most memorable high school games, his college days as a University of Florida Gator, and the beginning days of his professional career as a Denver Bronco.

As a Christian athlete, Tim Tebow has a humble attitude, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to excellence. Fans and the media alike know him for two significant actions which exude his character. One is “Tebowing” which is defined as to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. And the second is “The Promise.”

After a heart-breaking loss to the University of Mississippi during the 2008-2009 college season, Tebow, quarterback for the Florida Gators, made what the media called “The Promise.” “I just want to say one thing. To the fans and everybody in Gator Nation, I’m sorry. I’m extremely sorry. We were hoping for an undefeated season … But I promise you one thing … You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. And you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season, and you will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God Bless.” After “The Promise,” Tebow led his team to win the National Championship.

Published by Barron’s Educational Series (September 1, 2012), Tim Tebow: A Promise Kept is suitable for middle school and YA readers. It has 96 pages and informative sidebars with football facts and history. It also has a Tim Tebow quiz.

J. D. Rempel is a graduate of Simpson College. She is endeavoring to pen a preteen science fiction novel and an adult fantasy series. She loves to read and started a library at her church. She enjoys working with her husband in youth ministry and has two dwarf hamsters, Lucy and Suzy